Northern Ireland Staff Commission for Education and Library Boards: Annual Accounts 2002–03

Baroness Amos: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	The 2002–03 accounts of the Staff Commission for Education and Library Boards were deposited in the Libraries of both Houses today.

Elected Regional Assemblies: Information Campaign

Lord Rooker: My right honourable friend the Minister for Local Government, Regional Governance and Fire has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	In August we sent a leaflet to every household in the north-east: An Elected Assembly for the North East—Have Your Say. The leaflet provided information about the regional assembly and local government referendums to be held on 4 November, including details of the options for local government reorganisation.
	An error has been discovered in the information provided about the cost of local government reorganisation in County Durham. The cost figure for option A (one single-tier local authority for the county of Durham) was correctly shown. However, the upfront cost of implementing option B—that is, of restructuring local government to create three unitary authorities to take over the functions currently exercised by the existing county and district councils—was stated as £38 million. It should have been £49 million.
	We will shortly be writing to all households in County Durham correcting this error. The Government will meet the costs of implementing either option, as stated in the leaflet.

Education: Key Stage 1 Assessment

Lord Filkin: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills (Mr Stephen Twigg) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The trial of the new assessment arrangement at key stage 1 has now concluded and a decision about extending the new arrangements to all schools has been made.
	In 2003, we asked the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) to trial an approach which placed more emphasis on teacher assessment and national reporting of teacher assessment levels. Schools taking part in the trial administered the national curriculum tasks and tests in reading, writing and mathematics and the outcomes of these, plus all the evidence from work done throughout the year, were used by teachers to make judgments about children's progress in each subject, which were reported to parents and LEAs.
	An independent evaluation of the new arrangements was carried out by Leeds University on behalf of the QCA. The evaluation proved favourable and we have accepted the QCA's recommendation to extend the new arrangements to all schools at key stage 1 from the current academic year.

National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services

Lord Warner: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health has made the following Written Ministerial Statement today.
	In February 2001, we announced that the department would be developing a new national service framework (NSF) to set in place new standards for children's services. I am pleased to announce that the children's NSF is today being published. Copies have been placed in the Library.
	This NSF is the most complex to date, covering maternity services and the full range of issues for children and young people across health and social care, as well as the interface with education. It has been developed through active consultation with young people and the direct participation of over 250 experts and practitioners from the field. We also sought the views of key stakeholders through a major consultation exercise.
	The children's NSF is an evidence-based, 10-year strategy, which advocates a cultural shift in the provision of care, with services being designed and delivered around the needs of children and their families. The NSF recognises that children's needs are different and that it is important they have personalised services which take account of their individual views and beliefs, and enable them to make informed choices about their care. Setting standards for maternity care will also enable women to make real choices about the birth of their babies. It highlights the need for high-quality services that offer choice and are prompt, convenient and responsive and that look at the "whole child", rather than as a presenting illness or problem.
	The broad remit of the NSF is covered in 11 standards, which are:
	promoting health and well-being, identifying needs and intervening early;
	supporting parents or carers;
	child, young person and family-centred services;
	growing up;
	safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people;
	children and young people who are ill;
	children in hospital;
	disabled children and young people and those with complex health needs;
	mental and psychological well-being of children and young people;
	medicines;
	maternity.
	The children's NSF has been developed in line with the Government's wider public sector reform, to devolve power and responsibility to local agencies. Consequently, while this NSF sets out the levels of service quality which we expect services to attain by 2014, it is to be left to local discretion to determine how change should be effected.